Jim Harbaugh took his Michigan football team to Italy this spring to see the sights, immerse themselves in the culture and bond with teammates.

Harbaugh thought the trip was so successful, he is now in the process of planning next spring's trip to France.

"There's so much to do in Paris," Harbaugh said. "As you talk to some of the experts and travel planners, you want to spend time in Paris, you want to go to Monet's garden [at Giverny], Versailles. You want to go to Normandy. It needs a week. I've been to Paris and didn't get close to everything done in one week."

Jim Harbaugh met Pope Francis while on a trip to Italy. EPA/Osservatore Romano

Harbaugh said the trip to Rome was a huge success -- an opportunity for his players to get to know each other on a different level and in a different country. He thinks the time spent together in Europe could carry over to the field this season.

He even heard from fellow coaches that his trip has resonated with other programs as well.

"I wholeheartedly recommend it and am happy to lend support if anybody else is thinking of their team on a trip like this," Harbaugh said. "Some of our competitors have come up to me and said that trip was phenomenal. It was awesome. We've been trying as a staff to poke holes in it; we can't."

The dates and destinations haven't been finalized yet for the Paris trip.